1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to gel particles, an ink composition and a production method thereof, a photosensitive composition, and an image forming method.
2. Description of the Related Art
As image forming methods in which an image is formed on a recording medium such as paper based on an image data signal, there are electrophotographic systems, sublimation type thermal transfer systems, fusion type thermal transfer systems, and ink jet systems. For example, an ink jet system is executable using an inexpensive apparatus, and since ink is discharged onto only a necessary image portion to directly form an image on a recording medium, in the ink jet system, it is possible to efficiently use the ink, and running costs are low. Furthermore, the system makes little noise, and is excellent as an image forming method.
With an ink jet system, it is possible to form an image on not only plain paper but also a non-absorbing recording medium such as a plastic sheet or a metal plate. However, since an ink composition applied to a non-absorbing recording medium is not absorbed into the recording medium, to increase the speed of recording and to improve image quality, it is desirable that a polymerization reaction proceeds with high sensitivity and a cured film can be formed.
As one of the ink jet systems, there is an image forming method using an ink for ink jet recording which is curable by irradiation with active energy rays. According to this method, by irradiating ink droplets with active energy rays immediately after ink discharging or after a certain period of time and by curing the ink droplets, it is possible to form an image at an improved recording speed.
By achieving higher sensitivity of a curable ink by irradiation with active energy rays such as ultraviolet rays, curability with respect to the active energy rays becomes good, and this contributes to productivity improvement of the ink jet recording.
In connection with the above, in JP2013-199602A, as an ink composition for ink jet which has excellent discharge stability while maintaining the curability by ultraviolet irradiation in the presence of water and a solvent, an ink composition for ink jet including water, a coloring material, a resin emulsion formed of a compound having a radical polymerizable group, an inorganic particle dispersion, and a photoradical initiator is disclosed.
In addition, in JP4253432B, as a lithographic printing original plate which has good on-board developability and good abrasion resistance with high sensitivity although this is not an ink composition for ink jet recording, an original plate formed of at least one component selected from fine particles containing a compound having a radical polymerizable group and microcapsules enclosing a compound having a radical polymerizable group, a hydrophilic resin which has not been crosslinked, a thermal radical generating agent, and a polymethine dye as a cyanine dye is disclosed.
In JP2011-213114A, as a coloring photosensitive composition which does not easily fade after being colored with high coloring by an infrared laser exposure, and has good storage stability, a coloring photosensitive composition which contains a microgel enclosing a polymer having a glass transition temperature of 50° C. or higher, a photoinitiator, and an infrared absorbing dye and a binder polymer is disclosed.
In addition, in JP2009-515018A, as a slurry to form a coating film, which has high storage stability in the absence of actinic rays, is less likely to exhibit precipitation or aggregation, has high gloss, and has high stability with respect to chemicals, condensed water, and a mechanical action, an aqueous powder dispersion which contains a radically crosslinkable binder having an olefin-based unsaturated double bond is disclosed.